Semington’s great Hog-dini

Story posted on February 14, 2023

A PIG named Frank, who escaped from his Semington home and went on the run last month, turned up at Melksham Police Station.

Frank’s presence caused quite a stir as three of Melksham’s Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), Victoria Rolph, Melissa Culliford and Luke Hoskin, enticed him into custody!

Frank’s disappearance on 28th January was discovered after his owners, Jackie and Ron Newton, had gone out and neighbours were tasked with feeding him. However, they discovered that Frank was missing from his paddock and a search party was launched.

Meanwhile, Frank had made his own way along Shails Lane, arriving at the roundabout opposite Wiltshire Police headquarters, at Melksham Police Station. A member of the public also phoned the police to say they had spotted a stray pig.

PCSO Luke Hoskin said, “We got the call and first thought it was a hoax because we get those sometimes, but then I looked out of the window and Frank was there, walking across the road by the station!”

PCSO Victoria Rolph said, “We ran out and tried to entice him with bread, apples and a cereal bar. A local farmer said that we could take him there until the owners came. He was very cooperative! As we were enticing him along, a double decker bus came by and stopped to allow people to take pictures. At the end of it all, we’d done about five kilometres in steps!”

Melksham police appealed via Facebook for the owners to come and collect him saying, “Has anyone lost a pig? We have in our company this lovely pig, whom we have temporarily named Mr Trotter. Located down Semington Road. If this is your furry friend, please come and collect him!”

Frank’s owner, Jackie Newton said, “We were really pleased to have found Frank! He is such a friendly pig. He is unpredictable and quite the escape artist. This is not the first time he has escaped. We used to own the paddock over the road and Frank has escaped before, over into that field, but he’s never gone as far as Shails Lane and the police station!”

Jackie thanked the police officers who helped her escort Frank home. Frank, an 11-year-old Kunekune pig, a small breed of domestic pig from New Zealand, shares his paddock with Jake the goat and Mary the sheep.

Jackie added, “They all live quite happily together. There is a hierarchy, it’s usually the goat and sheep together, but they all respect each other.”